Midrash sa Mga Bilang 7:42: Bamidbar Rabbah

“On the fifth day, prince of the children of Simeon, Shelumiel son of Tzurishadai” (Numbers 7:36).
“On the fifth day, prince of the children of Simeon, Shelumiel son of Tzurishadai…” –because Reuben was vigilant in rescuing his brother from death and Simeon was zealous regarding the harlotry of his sister in Shekhem, to rescue his sister from the hand of the impure; that is why he was privileged to present his offering after him.
“His offering was one silver dish, its weight one hundred and thirty; one silver basin of seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel; both of them full of high quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering” (Numbers 7:37).
“His offering was one silver dish…” – the prince of Simeon came and presented his offering corresponding to the order of the crafting of the Tabernacle. Why did he present his offering corresponding to the crafting of the Tabernacle? They took an example from the act of Simeon, the forebear of the tribe. Just as Simeon was zealous regarding the harlotry, and killed all the residents of Shekhem because they tormented his sister Dina, just as it says: “…the two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dina's brothers, each took his sword, and came upon the city confidently, and killed all the males. And Ḥamor, and Shekhem his son, they killed by sword, and they took Dina from the house of Shekhem, and departed” (Genesis 34:25–26), likewise, the Tabernacle would kill the adulterers and the sotot, just as it says: “The priest shall take sacred water in an earthenware vessel, and from the dirt that is on the floor of the Tabernacle, [the priest shall take and he shall place it into the water]” (Numbers 5:17), and it says: “He shall give her to drink the water, and it will be, if she was defiled, and committed a trespass [against her husband…her belly will distend, and her thigh will fall]” (Numbers 5:27). That is why Shelumiel presented his offering according to the order of the crafting of the Tabernacle, as a commemoration of Simeon’s action.
“His offering was one silver dish…” – “Dish,” corresponding to the Tabernacle courtyard that surrounded the Tabernacle like the sea surrounds the world. ”Its weight one hundred and thirty,” just as it says: “The length of the courtyard, one hundred cubits” (Exodus 27:18), and the length of the interior of the Tabernacle was thirty cubits; that is one hundred and thirty,
“One silver basin [of seventy shekels] (Numbers 7:37), it corresponded to the courtyard without the Tabernacle, that was seventy cubits. Fifty cubits before the Tabernacle and twenty cubits behind the Tabernacle, that is seventy cubits. Alternatively, the courtyard, its length was one hundred cubits and its width was fifty cubits, just as it says: “The length of the courtyard, one hundred cubits, and its width fifty by fifty…” (Exodus 27:18). Take the fifty that the length is greater than the width, and render them into strips and surround the fifty of the width in a square. Its width equals its length, seventy cubits and a remainder by seventy cubits and a remainder. That is why it said: “Seventy shekels” – because the remainder was less than a cubit, it was not taken into consideration.
Another matter, why seventy? It is corresponding to seventy pillars that were in the Tabernacle courtyard; twenty pillars on the south side, twenty pillars on the north side, ten on the west side, six pillars on the east side, and four pillars for the screen on the courtyard gate. That is sixty for the courtyard, [plus] four for the curtain, five for the screen of the Tabernacle entrance, and the pillar of the cloud; that is seventy.
“Both of them full of high quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering” (Numbers 7:37), corresponding to the courtyard and the Tabernacle, as in the courtyard they would sacrifice a meal offering mixed with oil, and in the Tabernacle there was the showbread, which was of fine flour, and the candelabrum, that one kindles it with oil. There was frankincense on the table that would ascend for a pleasant aroma.
“One gold ladle, ten shekels, full of incense” (Numbers 7:38).
“One…ladle [kaf],” this is the Torah scroll that was placed next to the Ark. Just as this hand [kaf] has five fingers, so, too, it contains five books. “Gold…ten shekels,” these are the tablets that were in the Ark that contained the Ten Commandments.
Another matter, “gold…ten shekels,” corresponding to the ten portions in which the crafting of the Tabernacle is written. These are they: “They shall craft an Ark…” (Exodus 25:10); “you shall craft an Ark cover…” (Exodus 25:17); “you shall craft a table…” (Exodus 25:23); “you shall craft a candelabrum…” (Exodus 25:31); “the Tabernacle you shall craft…” (Exodus 26:1); “you shall craft sheets…” (Exodus 26:7); “you shall craft the boards…” (Exodus 26:15); “you shall craft a curtain…” (Exodus 26:31); “you shall craft an altar…” (Exodus 27:1); “you shall craft the Tabernacle courtyard…” (Exodus 27:9).
“One young bull, one ram, one lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering” (Numbers 7:39).
“One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:40).
“And for the peace offering, two cattle, five rams, five goats, five sheep in their first year. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Tzurishadai” (Numbers 7:41).
“One young bull [par]” (Numbers 7:39), corresponding to the Tabernacle sheets that were crafted of all types of colors,⁸⁰The midrash expounds par similar to apiryon, palanquin, which was colorful. just as it says: “You shall craft the Tabernacle of ten sheets [of spun linen and sky blue, purple and scarlet wool]” (Exodus 26:1). “One ram” (Numbers 7:39), corresponding to the covering of rams’ hides, dyed red. “One sheep” (Numbers 7:39), corresponding to the taḥash hides. “[One] goat” (Numbers 7:40), corresponding to the tent that consisted of sheets of goat hair. “And for the peace [hashelamim] offering, two cattle” (Numbers 7:41), this is corresponding to Betzalel and Oholiav, who completed [hishlimu] the labor of the Tabernacle. Alternatively, this is corresponding to the screen of the entrance of the Tabernacle and the screen of the entrance of the courtyard, which completed [mashlimim] the closure of the Tent on all its sides, and the closure of the courtyard on all its sides.
“Five rams, [five goats, five sheep]” (Numbers 7:41), these three species correspond to the hangings of the courtyard on its three sides, southern, northern, and western, as the length of the southern and the northern hangings was one hundred cubits, corresponding to the length of the courtyard, and the length of the western corresponded to its width of fifty cubits. Why were there five of each? It is corresponding to the courtyard hangings that were five cubits high, as it is stated: “And the height in the width, five cubits, corresponding to the hangings of the courtyard” (Exodus 38:18). And it says: “And the height, five cubits of fine twisted linen” (Exodus 27:18). Three times, that is fifteen, corresponding to the hangings of the fourth direction, as their length was only fifteen and fifteen cubits, as it is stated: “On the east side, they were fifty cubits. Hangings were fifteen cubits on the side…. On the second side: from this side and from that side of the gate of the courtyard, hangings were fifteen cubits” (Exodus 38:13–15).⁸¹On the eastern side, the fifty cubits of width of the courtyard consisted of fifteen cubits on each side of the screen at the entrance, which was twenty cubits.
“This was the offering of Shelumiel…” (Numbers 7:41), when the Holy One blessed be He saw that he presented his offering corresponding to the order of the crafting of the Tabernacle, He began lauding his offering: “This was the offering of Shelumiel…”

“On the sixth day, prince of the children of Gad, Elyasaf son of Deuel” (Numbers 7:42).
“On the sixth day, prince of the children of Gad, Elyasaf son of Deuel” – because Simeon took his sword and went and waged war with the people of Shekhem on behalf of his sister, and the descendants of Gad crossed the Jordan to help their brethren take possession of the Land, just as it says: “He performed the righteousness of the Lord, and His ordinances with Israel” (Deuteronomy 33:21); therefore, he was privileged to present his offering after Simeon.
“His offering was one silver dish, its weight one hundred and thirty; one silver basin of seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel; both of them full of high quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering” (Numbers 7:43).
“His offering was one silver dish…” – Rabbi Berekhya said: The prince of Gad presented his offering corresponding to the exodus from Egypt. Why did he do so? It is because his father blessed him with regiments, as it is stated: “Gad will recruit a regiment and it will return intact” (Genesis 49:19). Jacob said that statement regarding the fact that he was destined to cross the Jordan as a vanguard into battle, just as it says: “And your servants will cross, all the vanguard [ḥalutz] of the host, before the Lord into battle…” (Numbers 32:27). Regarding the exodus from Egypt, host is written, just as it says: “All the hosts of the Lord departed [from the land of Egypt]” (Exodus 12:41), and it is stated: “The children of Israel ascended armed [ḥamushim] [from the land of Egypt]” (Exodus 13:18); ḥamushim is the same as ḥalutzim. The Land was distributed to those who departed from Egypt, just as it says: “I will give it to you as a heritage, I am the Lord” (Exodus 6:8), and the descendants of Gad aided them until the land was conquered and distributed to all of them, that is why their prince presented his offering regarding the exodus from Egypt.
Rabbi Berekhya said: He began presenting his offering corresponding to what befell them from the day that Jacob and his sons descended to Egypt, until they departed. That is what is written: “His offering was one silver dish,” corresponding to Yokheved, Moses’s mother, in whose regard it is stated: “A man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi” (Exodus 2:1); it teaches that Amram divorced her and then took her back. That is why he presented a dish. Do not read it as ke’arat, but rather, as keraat, because she was severed [nikraat] from him. The letters of this are the letters of that. “One silver [kesef],” as Amram longed to take her back as a wife on account of Miriam, Aaron’s sister. That is why it is called kesef, because of the longing, just as it says: “My soul longs [nikhsefa], and also yearns, [for the courtyards of the Lord]” (Psalms 84:3). And it says: “Because you longed [nikhsof nikhsafta] for your father’s house…” (Genesis 31:30).
“One [aḥat],” do not read it as aḥat, but rather, as aḥot, sister, as when she was Aaron’s sister, she prophesied and said to her father that he should take back his wife, who was destined to bear a son who would redeem Israel. In that regard it is stated: “Miriam the prophetess, sister of Aaron…” (Exodus 15:20). Was she Aaron’s sister and not Moses’s sister? It is because Moses had not yet been born, and that is why, when Moses was cast into the Nile, she went and saw what would befall Moses and what would be the fate of her prophecy, just as it says: “His sister stationed herself at a distance [to ascertain what would be done to him]” (Exodus 2:4). That is, “one silver.”
“Its weight one hundred and thirty” (Numbers 7:43), it is because she [Yokheved] was one hundred and thirty years old when Moses was born. How so? It is because Yokheved was born between the walls⁸²Namely, on the border of Egypt. when Israel descended to Egypt. That is why she entered into the tally of those who descended to Egypt, as it is stated: “All the people, his sons and his daughters, thirty-three” (Genesis 46:15). In the generalization, you find thirty-three, but in the details, you find only thirty-two. Why? It is because Yokheved was born between the walls, and was among those who arrived in Egypt. Do we not know that she was born in Egypt; after all, her name was not mentioned with the names of those who arrived? It is, rather, to say to you that she was born in Egypt between the walls when they entered Egypt, but her conception was not in Egypt. Go out and reckon: From the day that our ancestors descended to Egypt until the day that Moses was born, there were one hundred and thirty years, as Israel was in Egypt for two hundred and ten years. From where is it derived? “Descend [redu]⁸³The numerical value of redu is reish – 200 + dalet – 4 + vav – 6 = 210. there” (Genesis 42:2). Subtract from them eighty years, that was Moses’s age when Israel departed from Egypt; one hundred and thirty remain. We learn that Yokheved was one hundred and thirty years old when Moses was born.
“One silver [kesef] basin [mizrak]” (Numbers 7:43), this is Moses, who was cast into the Nile.⁸⁴The word kesef is an allusion to the fact that his mother longed [nikhsefa] for him. Alternatively, that he was banished [nizrak] from Egypt, as it is stated: “Moses fled…” (Exodus 2:15). “Seventy shekel, in the sacred shekel,” these are the seventy elders whom Moses appointed, all of them prophets, from those that the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “You shall come, you and the elders of Israel to the king…” (Exodus 3:18). Likewise, it says: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel…” (Numbers 11:16). “Both of them full of high quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering,” as he and they, all of them were filled with the Divine Spirit, and they were filled with the Divine Spirit from the spirit of Moses, but Moses lacked nothing, like a person who lights one candle from another, the candle is kindled but the other lacks nothing; like a person who smells a citron, he enjoys it, but the citron lacks nothing. “As a meal offering [leminḥa],” just as it says: “It was, as the spirit rested [keno’aḥ] upon them, they prophesied…” (Numbers 11:25).
Another matter, “both of them full,” corresponding to Eldad and Meidad, just as it says: “Two men remained in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, [and the name of the second was Meidad]” (Numbers 11:26). “As a meal offering,” just as it says: “The spirit rested upon them…and they prophesied…” (Numbers 11:26).
“One gold ladle, ten shekels, full of incense” (Numbers 7:44).
“One…ladle [kaf],” as it was at the hand of Moses that the Egyptians were stricken with ten plagues; that is: “gold…ten shekels.” Why were some of the vessels of silver and some of gold? It is to say to you that the latter, that were of gold, correspond to the plunder at the sea, as just as gold is more beautiful and valuable than silver, so, the plunder at the sea was greater than the one in Egypt. Regarding these and those, it is stated: “We will craft you golden earrings” (Song of Songs 1:11); this is the plunder at the sea,“with studs of silver” (Song of Songs 1:11); this is the plunder in Egypt. Likewise, it says: “You came to great beauty [baadi adayim]” (Ezekiel 16:7),⁸⁵Another meaning of adi is gem or jewel. baadi, this is the plunder in Egypt, adayim, this is the plunder at the sea. That is “full of incense,” as all Israel were filled with silver, gold, and all sorts of spices. Likewise, it says: “Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates…. Lavender and saffron, lemongrass and cinnamon” (Song of Songs 4:13–14); that is “full of incense.”
Another matter, one hundred and thirty of the dish, seventy of the basin, and ten of the ladle total two hundred and ten, corresponding to the two hundred and ten years that Israel spent in Egypt from the day that Jacob descended to Egypt until they departed from there.
“One young bull, one ram, one lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering” (Numbers 7:45).
“One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:46).
“And for the peace offering, two cattle, five rams, five goats, five sheep in their first year. This was the offering of Elyasaf son of Deuel” (Numbers 7:47).
“One young bull” (Numbers 7:45), it mentioned three species for a burnt offering, corresponding to the three good leaders that the Holy One blessed be He granted Israel, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, as it is stated: “I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam” (Micah 6:4). He gave them manna due to the merit of Moses, clouds of glory due to the merit of Aaron, and a spring due to the merit of Miriam.
Another matter, why are three species of burnt offering stated? It is corresponding to the three good attributes that Israel possessed in Egypt, by whose merit they were redeemed: that they did not change their names, they did not change their language, and they separated themselves from licentiousness. “One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:46), corresponding to the paschal offering that the Holy One blessed be He commanded, to perform it with a goat to connote their withdrawal from idol worship. This is because Israel were idol worshippers in Egypt, and the attribute of justice would not have allowed them to be redeemed until they withdrew from it. For the withdrawal from idol worship that they performed, they were redeemed, just as it says: “I will see the blood and I will pass over you…” (Exodus 12:13). That is why they sacrificed a goat as a sin offering corresponding to it, as, for the iniquity of idol worship, they would sacrifice a goat as a sin offering.⁸⁶See Numbers 15:27.
“And for the peace offering, two cattle” (Numbers 7:47), corresponding to Jacob and Joseph, by whose merit Israel was redeemed from Egypt, as it is stated: “With Your arm, You redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph, Selah” (Psalms 77:16). Alternatively, corresponding to Moses and Aaron, as they performed all the wonders, and it is at their hand that they departed, as it is stated: “Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders…” (Exodus 11:10).
“Five rams” (Numbers 7:47), why three species? It is corresponding to the patriarchs, as the Holy One blessed be He remembered the covenant that He made with them, and redeemed them, as it is stated: “God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob” (Exodus 2:24). Why five of each? It is because their tally equals fifteen, corresponding to the patriarchs and the tribes who are fifteen, as, just as the Holy One blessed be He took an oath to the patriarchs, so He took an oath to the tribes, as it is stated: “The oaths said to the tribes, Selah” (Habakkuk 3:9). Alternatively, why fifteen? It is because they were redeemed on the fifteenth of Nisan, as it is stated: “On the day after the paschal offering, [the children of Israel departed]” (Numbers 33:3). And it says: “I acquired her for Me for fifteen silver pieces” (Hosea 3:2).⁸⁷This verse is expounded to mean that the Holy One blessed be He acquired the children of Israel on the fifteenth of Nisan.
“This was the offering of Elyasaf” (Numbers 7:47), when the Holy One blessed be He saw that he presented his offering corresponding to the order of the redemption from Egypt, He began lauding his offering: “This was the offering of Elyasaf son of Deuel.”